Polymeric bag with a permanent and integral open end stiffener and twist-tie

ABSTRACT

A device is disclosed for holding open, closing, carrying and packaging a flexible polymeric bag. The device comprises of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire installed permanently in a hem around the edge of the open-end of a flexible polymeric bag. The device is sufficient in thickness to serve as an open-end stiffener and keep the bag open at all times. When twisted, the device twist-ties and closes the open end of the flexible polymeric bag and also create a handle which to carry the flexible polymeric bag with. The device is sufficiently malleable and permanently installed within a flexible polymeric bag and therefore is ready to be folded and packaged in a package containing a plurality of folded bags.

RELATED US APPLICATION DATA

Provisional application No. 61/002,304 filed on Nov. 8, 2007

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

My invention is related to the use of a flexible polymeric bag for the disposal of trash and leaves and for the storage of household and non-household items. It is known to persons familiar with this art that the open end of a flexible polymeric bag tends to collapse on itself frequently and close the bag. It is frustrating and time consuming to frequently maintain the flexible polymeric bag open while placing trash or any other items in the bag. This problem can be fixed by placing and fastening the flexible polymeric bag in a right size trashcan, drum or specially designed stand. It is a good solution when the trashcan, drum or stand is available and stationary. It is a big problem when a bag is needed for the collection of trash in a bumpy, non flat terrain full of obstacles, like along highways, parks, yards, job sites, etc. Using a trashcan with wheels is very difficult to maneuver and keep from tipping and falling in such terrains. It is also difficult to use big trashcans with or without wheels within confined and unusual places like homes, attics, staircases etc. Also, contractors who use polymeric bags are very often reluctant to carry large, bulky trashcans in their trucks, wherever they go. My invention will eliminate the use of trashcans, stands and drums to keep a polymeric bag open, and it could still be placed in a trashcan, drum or stand if needed. My invention will keep a polymeric bag open at all times and everywhere. My invention will accomplish that by permanently installing a lightweight stiffener that is made out of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire and inserted in a hem along the edge of the open-end of a flexible polymeric bag. By doing so my invention will provide four useful benefits that will distinguish it from all related prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

My invention consists of a polymeric bag and a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire that serve as an open-end stiffener and a twist-tie. First, my invention—of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire installed permanently along the edge of the open-end of the polymeric bag-will maintain the polymeric bag open at all times, as needed. Second, my invention—of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire installed permanently along the edge of the open-end of the polymeric bag—will serve as a built in twist-tie to fully close the polymeric bag. Third, my invention—of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire installed permanently along the edge of the open-end of the polymeric bag—will create a handle to assist in picking up the polymeric bag when it's ready to be tossed away or stored. Fourth, my invention—of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire installed permanently along the edge of the open-end of the polymeric bag-will allow any person skilled with this art to fold, roll and package my invention in a container with a plurality of the same presently invented polymeric bags and with all the components of my invention already assembled. By doing so, my invention will eliminate any need for any component assembly-like an open end stiffener or a twist-tie—prior or after the immediate use of my invention by an end user skilled with the use of this art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a polymeric bag according to a prior art;

FIG. 2 is a perspective and top view of the polymeric bag with the open-end stiffener installed and the open-end is stretched open to a round shape, according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an elevation sectional view of the hem along the edge of the open-end of the polymeric bag;

FIG. 4 is an elevation and cross cut view of an enlarged section of the hem along the edge of the open-end of the polymeric bag;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the wire that is manipulated into a round shape with its two ends connected by a butt splice;

FIG. 6 is a close up view of a method to splice together the two ends of the wire with a butt splice;

FIG. 7 is a perspective top view of the polymeric bag, with its previously round open-end shape in FIG. 2 closed into a flat shape before the polymeric bag is fully closed, according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the polymeric bag, with the two created flat flaps before the polymeric bag is fully closed, according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the polymeric bag, with the two flat flaps pulled towards each other and crossing each other before the polymeric bag is fully closed, according to the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the polymeric bag fully closed by the two twisted together flat flaps that also creates a handle, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

My invention is made out of a polymeric bag 11 with a closed end 12 and an open end 13 and a malleable standard elongated utility metal wire 14 that serve as a stiffener and a twist-tie and that naturally stays in its manipulated shape until it is manipulated again into a different shape. The recommended gauge of the wire 14 is 0.0588 inch, but I do not limit the gauge of the wire 14 in my invention to this gauge only. Any person skilled in this art can use a different gauge wire as long as it serves the purpose of my invention. The wire 14 is pre cut to the length of the circumference of the open-end edge 15 and inserted during the manufacturing process of my invention into a tubular space 19 within a hem along the open-end edge 15 of the polymeric bag 11, as it is known to persons skilled in this art. The wire 14 is an integral and permanent part of the polymeric bag 11. The hem is created by folding the open-end edge 15 of the open-end 13 of the polymeric bag 11 inward approximately 0.5 inch all around the outside circumference of the open-end 13 of the polymeric bag 11. The final distance H between the open-end edge 15 and the top of the polymeric bag 17 should be approximately 0.5 inch. The open-end edge 15 is then fused down onto the bag 11 with a thermo-welding 16. Approximately 0.75 inch is left un thermo-welded so to serve as an opening to insert the wire 14 into the tubular space 19 and to connect the two ends 22 and 23 of the wire 14 to each other with a butt splice 18, or any other means seeing fit by persons skilled with this art, as long as it serves the purpose of my invention. To illustrate the way the two wire ends 22 and 23 connect together with a butt splice 18, the wire end 22 is inserted into the butt splice opening 24 and wire end 23 is inserted into the butt splice opening 25. When the two wire ends 22 and 23 touch each other in the middle of the butt splice 18, the butt splice 18 is crimped in crimping points 20 and 21 and by doing so securing the wire ends 22 and 23 permanently to the butt splice 18 and connecting them to each other permanently.

Another method of installing the wire 14 along the open-end edge 15 of the polymeric bag 11 during the manufacturing process of my invention is by first pre cutting the wire 14 to the length of the circumference of the open-end edge 15, manipulating the wire 14 to a round shape and then connecting the two wire ends 22 and 23 with a butt splice 18, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Then, the round shaped wire 14 is placed inside the polymeric bag 11 approximately 0.375 inch from the open-end edge 15. Then, the open-end edge 15 is folded inward and over the wire 14 approximately 0.5 inch all around the outside circumference of the open-end 13 of the polymeric bag 11 and then the open-end edge 15 is fused down onto the polymeric bag 11 with thermo-welding 16, as it is known to persons skilled in this art.

The polymeric bag 11 with the integral and permanent wire 14 within the hem along its open-end edge 15 can be folded, rolled and packed in a container (not shown) with a plurality of the same presently invented polymeric bags, as it is customary by persons skilled with this art. When a polymeric bag is needed, the polymeric bag 11 is pulled out of a container (not shown) and is unrolled and unfolded. The open-end 13 of the polymeric bag 11 is stretched open and manipulated to be opened into a round shape. It is possible to manipulate the open-end 13 into many other shapes like square, rectangle, triangle, etc. To illustrate my invention, I am going to use the round shape because it is most convenient to use and most easy shape to manipulate the open-end 13 into. When the open-end 13 of the polymeric bag 11 is stretched open, the open-end 13 of the polymeric bag 11 will stay open at all times since it is the natural characteristic of the malleable elongated standard utility metal wire 14 in the hem along the open-end edge 15 of the polymeric bag 11 to stay in the shape that it is manipulated into until it is manipulated again into a different shape. The open-end 13 of the polymeric bag 11 will stay open when the polymeric bag 11 is standing upright, when it is laid on its side or when it is held by any person skilled with this art. It will be very convenient for persons skilled with this art to place trash, leaves etc. in the polymeric bag 11 that stays open at all times as needed, since the tendency of a polymeric bag is to collapse on itself and close frequently.

To close the polymeric bag 11—when it is full of trash, leaves etc.—any two opposite points 26 and 27 on the metal wire 14 within the hem along the open-end edge 15 of the polymeric bag 11 are grabbed and squeezed, so to bend the wire 14 in the hem along the open-end edge 15. The bending of the wire 14 at the two opposite points 26 and 27 will force the round shape of the open-end 13 into a flat shape and close the polymeric bag 11, as illustrated in FIG. 7. At this point the polymeric bag 11 is not fully closed yet. To fully close the polymeric bag 11, the two bent opposite points 26 and 27 on the wire 14 within the hem along the now flat circumference of the open-end 13 of the polymeric bag 11 are pulled up to create two flat flaps 28 and 29 as illustrated in FIG. 8. Then, the two flat flaps 28 and 29 are pulled towards and across each other as illustrated on FIG. 9 and then the two flat flaps 28 and 29 are twisted together as illustrated in FIG. 10. At this point the polymeric bag 11 is fully closed. By placing their hand in the space 30 under the two twisted together flat flaps 28 and 29, persons skilled in this art can use the two twisted together flat flaps 28 and 29 as a handle, so to carry and toss away or store the polymeric bag 11. 

1. In combination, a flexible polymeric bag having a permanently closed end, an open end and a hem formed at the edge of the open end for receiving lawn, garden, construction and household debris and materials, and a circular shaped device for holding open the open end of the flexible polymeric bag when the device is stretched, the device consisting only of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire, having a predetermined length generally corresponding to the circumference of the open end of the flexible polymeric bag with two ends secured together to form a ring-shaped collar to provide stiffness to the open end of the flexible polymeric bag, the device being enclosed within a hem at the edge of the open end of the flexible polymeric bag and being permanently secured to the flexible polymeric bag by thermo-welding so as to become an integral part of the flexible polymeric bag such that when the device is stretched, the device maintain the open end of the flexible polymeric bag open to facilitate the loading of lawn, garden, construction and household debris and materials into the flexible polymeric bag.
 2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the device is a twist-tie.
 3. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the device is a handle.
 4. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the device is sufficiently malleable for said device to be folded and thereby enable said device to be readily packaged within a package containing a plurality of said bags in folded condition.
 5. In combination, a flexible polymeric bag having a permanently closed end, an open end and a hem formed at the edge of the open end for receiving lawn, garden, construction and household debris, and a circular shaped device consisting only of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire, having a predetermined length generally corresponding to the circumference of the open end of the flexible polymeric bag with two ends secured together to form a ring-shaped collar to provide stiffness to the open end of the flexible polymeric bag, the device being enclosed within a hem at the edge of the open end of the flexible polymeric bag and being permanently secured to the flexible polymeric bag by thermo-welding so as to become an integral part of the flexible polymeric bag such that when the device is twisted, the device twist-tie the open end of the flexible polymeric bag and maintain said open end tied and closed to prevent the lawn, garden, construction and household debris and materials in the flexible polymeric bag from falling out of the flexible polymeric bag.
 6. The device as recited in claim 5 wherein the device is a handle.
 7. The device as recited in claim 5 wherein the device is sufficiently malleable for said device to be folded and thereby enable said device to be readily packaged within a package containing a plurality of said bags in folded condition.
 8. In combination, a flexible polymeric bag having a permanently closed end, an open end and a hem formed at the edge of the open end for receiving lawn, garden, construction and household debris, and a circular shaped device consisting only of a malleable elongated standard utility metal wire, having a predetermined length generally corresponding to the circumference of the open end of the flexible polymeric bag with two ends secured together to form a ring-shaped collar to provide stiffness to the open end of the flexible polymeric bag, the device being enclosed within a hem at the edge of the open end of the flexible polymeric bag and being permanently secured to the flexible polymeric bag by thermo-welding so as to become an integral part of the flexible polymeric bag such that when the device is twisted, the device twist-tie the open end of the flexible polymeric bag to form a handle out of the open end of the flexible polymeric bag to facilitate the carrying, tossing and storing of the flexible polymeric bag.
 9. The device as recited in claim 8 wherein the device is sufficiently malleable for said device to be folded and thereby enable said device to be readily packaged within a package containing a plurality of said bags in folded condition. 